Master Mechanic – Preventing Dead Atheists

Saturday

Feb 2, 2013 at 12:01 AMFeb 2, 2013 at 1:04 AM

The shortest distance between two objects is a straight line. That’s the way the two medics saw it as they headed their ambulance toward the rural medical emergency. The only problem was this path was seldom traveled and mostly dirt road. That may have been why they didn’t see the “Low Water Crossing” sign. After [...]

Steve Moody

The shortest distance between two objects is a straight line. That’s the way the two medics saw it as they headed their ambulance toward the rural medical emergency. The only problem was this path was seldom traveled and mostly dirt road. That may have been why they didn’t see the “Low Water Crossing” sign.

After the ambulance came to rest on the far side of the crossing – without it’s front wheels – the department called the fix-it guy – Master Mechanic Glen Wendt.

Glen recently concluded a career of over two decades as the Master Mechanic for the Salina Fire Department. He is truly an amazing mechanic, and moreover an amazing man.

The role that emergency personnel perform is worthy of the hero title, but what about their support crew? How great would any firefighter be if he was all dressed up in his turnout gear and his fire truck wouldn’t move? He would be like a Dead Atheist – all dressed up and no place to go.

Day in and day out Glen kept the machines running – vehicles, radios, lights, air packs, extinguishers, the list goes on and on.

Heroes can be demanding. That’s to be expected when lives are at stake, but that doesn’t make it any easier for those getting the demands. The expectations of the support crew can sometimes be greater than that placed upon the heroes. And the support folks don’t get the glory.

Machines are used on every emergency. During his time the machines always worked. And he was the reason why.